Zwieseler Glasweihnacht

A New Name and a New Location

The traditional Zwiesel Christmas market was renamed in 2024 and moved to a new venue. The classic market in the city center became the Zwieseler Glasweihnacht – a Christmas market centered around the Glass Pyramid on the grounds of Zwiesel Fortessa. With this, the city has placed the shared element of identity – the glass art and glass tradition of the Bavarian Forest – at the heart of its Advent season.

The Glass Pyramid as the Market Centerpiece

The Zwieseler Glass Pyramid is one of the most iconic structures in the Bavarian Forest – a walk-in glass pyramid on the site of the former Schott works (now Zwiesel Fortessa). During Advent, it becomes the focal point of the Christmas market. Market stalls, a stage, and activity areas for culinary and cultural events are set up around the pyramid.

The 2026 Program

The Glasweihnacht 2026 runs from Friday, November 27 to Sunday, November 29 – the traditional first Advent weekend. It is open daily from 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM.

• 4:00 PM — Opening by 1st Mayor Karl-Heinz Eppinger, Prof. Dr. Buske from Zwiesel Fortessa, the Glass Queens, St. Nicholas, and the Zwiesel Christkind
• 4:15 PM — Kindergarten am Kirchplatz: Welcome St. Nicholas and the Christkind with Christmas carols
• Daily: Performances by various music groups, presentations by kindergartens and the municipal music school
• Ongoing: Glassblowing demonstrations, glass engraving activities, glass art
• Culinary: Regional specialties of the Bavarian Forest, mulled wine, bratwurst, gingerbread
• Arts and crafts and homemade goods

Zwiesel – The Glass City

Zwiesel is located in the Regen district in the Bavarian Forest, nestled between the mountains Großer Falkenstein, Großer Rachel, and Großer Arber. For centuries, the city has been a center of Bavarian glass manufacturing and glass art – Schott Zwiesel (now Zwiesel Fortessa) is one of the world's leading brands for mouth-blown glassware. The Glasweihnacht makes this identity visible – and makes the Christmas market one of the most unusual and thematically clearest in all of Bavaria.

Who Attends the Glasweihnacht

The Glasweihnacht attracts visitors from all over the Bavarian Forest, the Regen district, and regionally from Bavaria and the Czech Republic (Zwiesel is only 30 km from the Czech border). Those visiting the region during Advent combine the market with a visit to the glassworks, an excursion to the nearby Großer Arber, or a break in the surrounding inns, where the famous Bayerwald-Schmankerl is still authentically served.